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G. WAGNER.

RAILWAY GAR SIGNAL. No. 302,451. Patented July 22, 1884.

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.still, a red disk or light is shown.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GUSTAVUS G. XVAGNER, OF MOUNT VERNON, NEVV YORK.

. RAl LWAY-CAR SIGNAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent No. 302,451, dated July 22, 188% Application filed November 5, 1883.

T0 aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GUSTAVUS G. WAGNER, a citizen of the United States residing at Mount Vernon, in the county of Westchester and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Railway-0ar Signals, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the class of signals which are displayed in the rear of a train for the purpose of indicating the motion of the train or when the train is standing still. When my signal is applied to a car, it operates as follows: When the ear is moving in the direction from the observer, a white disk or light is shown. Then the car moves in the direction toward the observer, a red disk or light is shown. WVhen the car is standing When the car is moving slowly in the direction away from the observer an alternate redand white disk is shown, or, at night a red and white light is flashed. This enables the engineer of the following train to determine the movement of the train ahead of him. I accomplish this by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which are part of this specification.

Figure Irepresents a vertical cross-section. Fig. 2 represents a front elevation of the signal box or lamp. Fig. 3 represents the double-threaded screw-cam on a fraction of a caraxle, and the lower part of the movable frame.

Similarletters refer to similar parts th roughout the several views.

To the car-axle a, I rigidly fasten the cam, which consists of a double-threaded screw, one end of which ends in the groove 1), the periphery of which is true with that of the axle a, and the flanges c and c, the other end of the screw ends in the groove b, the periphery of which is eccentric to that of the axle and the flanges c and c. i

To the movable frame cl are rigidly fastened two guide-lips, c and 6, directly opposite each other and at right angles to the axle, and mesh with the screw-threads f. To. carry the frame cl from the circumferential groove 1) to (No model.)

grooves always opposite each other and on a line at right angles to the axle. The movable frame (1 is also provided with four guidearms, 9, which ride on the periphery of the flanges sand 0. One end of the connecting rod h is rigidly fastened to the frame (I. The other end is jointed to the bell-crank lever z, -which has its fulcrumat the point j. The connecting-rod la connects the bell-crank lever with the bellows or air-pump Z. The air-chamber on, connects directly with the air-pump Z by means of the valve a. The upper part of the air-chamber is movable vertically, and is provided with a vent, p, and a safety-valve, q. The arm 0 is rigidly fastened to the upper part of the ainchamber, and engages with the nected to the movable slide 8, which is arranged and held in position on the inside of the box B by means of the guide t. The slide s is divided into two halves, the lower half being of a different color to that of the upper half. Thus when the slide by its own gravitation drops, one color is shown through the aperture A in the box 13, and when the slide is raised by means of pumping air into the chamber at another color is shown. It will be obvious that when glass is used for the slide and a light placed in the box B a lamp is produced.

The operation of my invention is as follows: When the axle moves in one direction, and assuming the direction is as shown by the arrow on the wheel, the guide-lips are carried by means of the threads of the screw to the groove I), which is eccentric to the fl. nges 0 c, and thus imparts a reciprocating motion to the frame d and to theconnecting-rod h, which imparts it to the bell-crank lever t, thence to the connecting-rod 7c, and to theair-pump Z. The motion continues and the air chamber is gradually filled and rises, carrying with it the arm 0, connecting-rod r, and the slide 8, thus showing a different color when the airchamber is filled, and the motion continues, the surplus air escapes through the valve q. When the motion of the axle ceases, the air in the chamber mslowly escapes through the vent p, and the slide falls gradually back into its normal position. hen the axle revolves in the opposite direction to that indicated by connecting-"rod r, one end of which is conthe arrow, the guide-lips are carried to the other side of the cam by means of the screwthreads, and to the groove b. This groove having a periphery true with that of the flanges c c and axle a, no reciprocating motion is imparted to the frame (Z, &e.; hence the slide remains in its normal position, showing danger.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I desire to claim as new and secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a railway-car signal, the combination, with a car-axle, of a cam capable of imparting a reciprocating motion to a rod connected with the piston 01" an air-pump when said axle is revolving in onedirection and capable of holding said connecting-rod stationary when said axle is revolving in the opposite direction, an expanding ail-chamber, and a slide, substantially as herein described, and for the purpose specified.

2. I11 a railway-car signal, the combination, with a car-axle, of a cam consisting of a doublethrcaded screw terminating in two (3iIOl1lllf6lential grooves, Z) and b, one of which grooves is concentric and the other eccentric to the axle and the flanges c and c, the frame, as (Z, provided with two guide-lips, as 0 and 0, adapted to follow the faces of the screw, the guide-arms, as 9, arranged on said frame to ride on the periphery of the flanges c and a, a connecting-rod connecting said frame with the piston of an air-pump, an expanding airchamber, and a slide arranged to be actuated by said air-chamber, the whole to operate substantially as herein described, and for the purpose specified.

8. In a railway-car signal, the combination, with a car-axle having a double-threaded screw-cam, substantially as herein described, of a frame provided with guide-lips adapted to follow the grooves oi the screw, means for connecting said frame with an air-pump, an expanding air-chamber, and a slide, as herein shown, the whole to be operated by the rotary motion of the axle, substantially as herein de scribed, and for the purpose specified.

GUSTAVUS G. \VAG'NER.

Witnesses:

JAS. II. Snnrxnn, Jenn IVICCLELLAN. 

